cloud ceiling
Lowest visible clouds
Cloud ceiling is the height above ground at which the lowest layer of clouds covers more than half the sky.
Pilots and meteorologists use it to assess visibility and flight conditions: The cloud ceiling dropped to 500 feet, grounding all departures.
A low ceiling restricts visual flight; a high ceiling or no ceiling means clear skies.
- skyVisible overhead expanse
- lowNot elevated
- stratusLow, flat cloud layer
- coverProtect by overlaying
- overcastSky fully veiled
gray · gray skies · visibility · aviation · meteorology · scattered · IFR · altitude · weather · weather report · fog · cloudtop · broken · misty · layer · capped · hazy · ground fog
- sky conditionsclear, clear sky, overcast, sunny, stormy
- ceilingssuspended, acoustic tiles, acoustic tile, exposed beams, coffered
- Aviation Weathervisibility, turbulence, icing, wind shear, IFR
- measurementsheight, stature, meters, depth, pound
- Cloudscumulus, stratus, cirrus, nimbostratus, stratocumulus
- flight dataaltitude, logbook, airspeed, flight log, manifest